Coming off a 2017 Southern Conference Championship and an appearance in the Premier Development League (PDL) National Semi-Final, Mississippi Brilla is preparing for change in 2018. While the 12-year veteran of the PDL will be able to defend its Southern Conference Championship, it will do so via a brand new division. The Deep South Division will feature four former South Atlantic teams (Peachtree City MOBA, SC United Bantoms, South Georgia Tormenta FC, Tri-Cities Otters), two teams making their PDL debuts (Birmingham Hammers, Memphis City), and Mississippi Brilla, formerly of the Mid-South Division.
“Our fans have been eagerly anticipating the day when we would have a regional rival,” said Executive Director Rusty Bryant. “The league rewarded their patience this year with two new teams that should become natural rivals in Memphis and Birmingham.”
The new rivals will waste no time in diving into the competition, as Brilla will kick off its season on the road in Memphis on Saturday, May 12. Memphis FC will return the road trip by traveling to Mississippi the very next weekend for Brilla’s home opener on Saturday, May 19.
Brilla will get their first look at the new Birmingham Hammers just a few days later with a mid-week home scramble on Wednesday, May 23. The new rivalry will continue just days later as Brilla will head over to Birmingham on Saturday, May 26.
Although the 2018 schedule is heavy with games against the two geographical rivals (4 scheduled matches against each team), Brilla fans will also get an up close look at Peachtree City MOBA and South Georgia Tormenta FC in July. Tormenta FC was recently announced as the founding member of the new USL D3 professional league that will begin in 2019.
“Our fans and players are really in for a treat this year as three of the teams in our division have already announced that they will be full professional teams in 2019,” continued Bryant. “Memphis and Birmingham will be competing in the USL and Tormenta FC is the first team to enter the brand new D3 league. We will truly play the best of the best this year.”
Head Coach Mark McKeever added, “I am excited about the new division and the fresh challenge facing us with the introduction of some new PDL teams. It will be a strange feeling driving East this summer, but I am very excited about it and I think we have the makings of a very competitive division in the PDL.”
Brilla’s fourteen game schedule will feature seven home matches at Clinton High School's Arrow Field. The complete schedule can be viewed HERE, and season tickets are now on sale HERE.